“In many ways, things are better than they were 30 years ago. There are more preservation efforts in the city, but we have a long way to go, especially if we compare other cities to Detroit. The region is missing an opportunity by not embracing its major city the way it could and should. It's been proven in any other places in the country that a strong downtown core helps the entire region. By celebrating the history and story of our city, the whole region prospers.”